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President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday dismissed Dr Kizza Besigye’s hunger strike as "unprincipled blackmail," arguing that it is an attempt to gain sympathy rather than seeking legal justice.
Since last Wednesday, Dr Besigye has refused to eat, protesting his continued detention in Luzira Prison despite a Supreme Court ruling discontinuing his trial before the Court Martial.
Museveni insisted in a statement that Besigye has access to medical care both within the prison and through private visits arranged by his personal doctors.
He questioned the legitimacy of hunger strikes as a form of protest, suggesting that demanding a fair and swift trial would be a more principled course of action.
"How can you be accused of serious crimes and, then, your response is a hunger strike to generate sympathy for getting bail? Why don’t you demand a quick trial?" Museveni argued
But while the president dismisses hunger strikes as a mere sympathy-seeking tool, history provides numerous examples of how this non-violent form of protest has been used to challenge injustice, demand rights, and bring about significant political change.
Historical Examples of Hunger Strikes as a Tool for Change
Mahatma Gandhi – The Power of Non-Violence
One of the most famous figures to use hunger strikes effectively was Mahatma Gandhi.
The Indian independence leader undertook at least 17 hunger strikes, using them as a non-violent means to resist British colonial rule and advocate for peace in India.
His fasts were instrumental in drawing attention to injustices such as the discrimination against the Untouchables (Dalits) and the violent conflicts between Hindus and Muslims.
Gandhi’s hunger strikes gained global attention, forcing the British government and Indian political leaders to act.
Bobby Sands – A Fight for Political Recognition
In 1981, Bobby Sands, a member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), led a hunger strike in Northern Ireland’s Maze Prison to demand political prisoner status for IRA detainees. Sands and nine other prisoners starved themselves to death in protest against harsh prison conditions and the refusal of the British government to recognise their cause.
His death sparked international outrage, drawing attention to the Irish nationalist struggle and forcing the British government to re-evaluate its policies. Today, Sands remains a symbol of defiance in Irish history.
Marion Wallace Dunlop – Women’s Suffrage Movement
In 1909, Marion Wallace Dunlop, a British suffragette, became the first modern hunger striker while protesting for women’s right to vote. She was imprisoned for vandalising a wall in the British Parliament but refused to eat, demanding to be treated as a political prisoner.
Her strike led to her early release, and her methods were soon adopted by other suffragettes who were arrested. Their hunger strikes pressured the government to eventually grant women voting rights, making it a powerful tactic in the suffrage movement.
Alaa Abd el-Fattah – Fighting Political Oppression in Egypt
In recent years, Egyptian political activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah has used hunger strikes to protest human rights abuses and political oppression under the Egyptian government. His hunger strike in 2022 was part of a larger movement demanding the release of political prisoners and greater freedoms in Egypt.
Though his case remains unresolved, his strike intensified international pressure on Egypt, leading to increased diplomatic negotiations and global attention to the country’s human rights violations.
Could Besigye’s Hunger Strike Have an Impact?
While Museveni claims that Besigye’s hunger strike is “blackmail”, history suggests that hunger strikes are a legitimate and powerful form of protest that have often been used to expose oppression and demand justice.
The effectiveness of Besigye’s strike will depend on public support, international attention, and the response of the Ugandan government. If his health continues to decline, the government may face mounting pressure from human rights groups, opposition politicians, and the international community to grant him bail or improve his prison conditions.